Sexism at Christian Colleges (and Seminaries)

Last updated on: November 15, 2012 at 4:52 pm By Kyle Roberts

I wanted to make you aware of an excellent an important reflection by my Bethel University colleague, Pamela Erwin. On her blog, “Theological Curves” (gotta like that title), Erwin reflects on a recent Christianity Today study on sexism at Christian colleges. I would think the same certainly applies to evangelical seminaries as well–if not more so. Erwin writes, The article points out that the results of this study show female faculty often feel excluded from male social groups in part... Read more

Is Free Market Capitalism Always Free? Where Consumer Desire Meets Cheap Labor

Last updated on: November 15, 2012 at 3:35 pm By Kyle Roberts

I’ve started reading William Cavanaugh’s Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire. I’m only half-way in, but I’m pretty sure this is one of those books that anyone who pastors a church in the U.S. really should read, wrestle with, and then figure out how to communicate its message to their congregants–or at least start a conversation about it. I plan to write a series of four posts on this book, corresponding to the four chapters of the book. Freedom and Unfreedom Cavanaugh... Read more

Petraeus, David Petraeus

Last updated on: November 14, 2012 at 11:55 am By Daniel Harrell

Following this week’s unfolding scandal involving former CIA Director and war hero David Petraeus brings unavoidable comparisons to James Bond. I haven’t seen Skyfall yet, but I hear it’s awesome and that it contains everything that makes a Bond movie Bond: sociopathic killing sprees with wicked awesome gadgetry, gorgeous women loved and left, clever asides and clear blue eyes, all somehow honorably done for love of Queen and country. Skyfall raked in at the box office this past weekend. Americans love that Fleming Formula!... Read more

Artists Behaving Strangely

Last updated on: November 14, 2012 at 9:41 am By Daniel A. Siedell

Why do so many artists behave so strangely? If their odd-looking work isn’t enough to make us scratch our heads, their weird behavior confirms our suspicions that they are charlatans, getting away with artistic murder in a laissez-faire and degenerate art world in which personality and image are more important than the quality of their work. No one resembles this portrait of the strangely behaving artist better than Andy Warhol (1928-1987). Everything about him, from his odd appearance, aloof personality,... Read more

Holy Nomad and the “Quest” Approach to Christian Faith

Last updated on: November 8, 2012 at 10:07 am By Kyle Roberts

This post is my contribution to Patheos’ book club on Matt Litton’s Holy Nomad: The Rugged Road to Joy. I suppose this book falls in same genre as The Ragamuffin Gospel (Brennan Manning) and The Sacred Romance (Brent Curtis and John Elderidge)–sort of a combination of memoir, inspirational writing, and biblical/theological reflection. As an academic, I’ve grown used to reading lengthy tomes, with long, winding sentences, gnostic-like “discourse” understandable only to the initiated, and plenty of fifty-dollar words. While I wouldn’t want my theology any other way... Read more

Nothing Changes

Last updated on: November 7, 2012 at 6:16 pm By Daniel Harrell

So, it’s late in the day after the long night at the end of the campaign that would never end and billions of dollars and tons of mud and on and on and we have the same president, same congress, same debt, same arguments, same everything, yesterday, today and forever. Remarkable, really. Whether this is good or bad depends on your perspective, obviously. For me, I’m simply amazed at how so an enormous expenditure in human and financial capital can... Read more

I Write Too Many Words

Last updated on: November 9, 2012 at 7:26 am By Daniel A. Siedell

“Without music, life would be a mistake” (Nietzsche) Read more

Who Are You?

Last updated on: November 7, 2012 at 11:26 am By Daniel A. Siedell

Every painting is a self-portrait. Although he may nowhere be seen on the canvas, the artist is everywhere present. Yet it is a self that escapes the artist’s control, transcending (and sometimes even undermining) the artist’s intentions. However, in a self-portrait the artist makes himself present to you and to me, controlling how he is perceived. And given the fact that it is the artist’s disclosure of himself to his audience, a painted justification of who he is in the... Read more

Politics and the Narcissist Impulse: Just Make Me a Hero, Please

Last updated on: November 1, 2012 at 8:53 am By Kyle Roberts

Election season is winding down. We will all breathe a sigh of relief when it’s over (or half of us will) The political machine seems driven around something quite basic to humanity: narcissism. In political discourse we hear a lot about the “common good,” and the “state of the country.” But whether the topic is the economy (and jobs, jobs, jobs), foreign policy, healthcare, or social security, or medicare, every issue seems to funnel through the lens of me. And you. The political... Read more

Sandy

Last updated on: October 31, 2012 at 11:27 am By Daniel Harrell

I was supposed to fly to New York City tomorrow to preach at a church in Brooklyn. But they were hit by a hurricane on Monday (see fake picture at right). Best that they have their own pastor there on Sunday. Sandy was a magnificent storm. Had it stayed out at sea, we would have marveled at its immensity and power, but then switched over to Monday Night Football. But because Sandy came ashore, we marveled at its immensity and... Read more